Mercedes-AMG to Make Series Debut With Iron Lynx

Iron Lynx has confirmed that its new-for-2025 partnership with Mercedes-AMG will also see the German brand compete in the European Le Mans Series for the first time.

The Italian squad entered the 2025 ELMS season as defending LMGT3 champions, as Hiroshi Hamaguchi, Axcil Jefferies and Andrea Caldarelli took the title on the final lap of October’s Portimao finale.

Gustavo Menezes has been named as the first driver aboard the No. 63 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.

As previously reported by Sportscar365, the former Peugeot Hypercar driver was in the frame for a return to racing alongside Edmond Barseghian, with the two testing together during the FIA World Endurance Championship rookie test in Bahrain.

Barseghian, however, was not named as part of Monday’s announcement.

“We are delighted to continue our presence in the European Le Mans Series as a Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Team,” said team principal Andrea Piccini.

“We achieved remarkable success in this championship, so we definitely have many good memories.

“We will also be lining up as the reigning champions, which is always motivating, but we have a lot of work ahead of us if we want to keep the same pace and stay competitive. We look forward to doing that work in the upcoming winter preparations and heading into the new season.

The confirmation of a European program comes just a few weeks after the Andrea Piccini-led team announced it had struck a deal with Mercedes-AMG that would allow the German brand to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship’s LMGT3 class after it was left out for the category’s debut season.

Mercedes-AMG head of customer racing Stefan Wendl previously floated the idea of pursuing an ELMS entry as a means for the brand to gain access to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, although that came before it partnered up with Iron Lynx.

The Stuttgart marque has never appeared on the ELMS grid, even when the series accommodated GT3 machinery as part of the GTC class for the first three seasons under ACO leadership.

The brand has, however, frequently featured in the Michelin Le Mans Cup series that forms a regular part of the ELMS support bill.